Chapter Nineteen
It was a little after noon when Ahmed received a message telling him that Gabriela Rose had returned to her Nile Ritz-Carlton hotel room. Ahmed gave her a half hour to get settled and then he made his call.
“Welcome back,” he said to Gabriela. “Was your flight pleasant?”
“Yes,” she said. “And short. Shorter than the ride from the airport to my hotel.”
“Do you have something to tell me?”
“I would prefer not to talk on the phone,” Gabriela said.
“I agree. I will meet you in thirty minutes in Aqua. It is the small outdoor bar by the pool.”
Gabriela got off the phone and scanned her room. He knew she was back, so what now? A hidden camera? The possibility was disturbing. She would do a thorough search when she returned from their meeting.
She checked on Fooze’s location one more time. He was still on the road. Still heading for Cairo. She estimated that he would be in Cairo at five o’clock at the earliest. Six o’clock was more realistic.
She took a moment to think about her conversation with Ahmed. What did she want to share with him? Everything? Nothing? Her opinion of him was limited by a lack of information. She thought he was charming and ruthless and not to be underestimated. Beyond that she had very little.
Rafer called. “Are we doing something about lunch?” he asked.
“I’m meeting Ahmed,” Gabriela said. “It shouldn’t be a long meeting. Order me a room service lunch.”
That got a prolonged silence from Rafer.
“And?” he finally said.
“And I’m trying to decide if he’ll be helpful or if I want to stonewall him.”
“I can’t help you with that one. Where are you meeting?”
“Aqua. The pool bar.”
“Wear sunscreen.”
Gabriela was already seated at one of the poolside tables when Ahmed walked over and sat across from her.
“I thought you might have taken the opportunity to relax with a swim,” Ahmed said.
Gabriela was still dressed in her travel clothes. A short-sleeve blouse, a midi skirt, and flats.
“Tempting, but no,” Gabriela said. “I was hoping Harley might be with you.”
“Harley is watching television while his foot heals. Your trip to Luxor was worthwhile?”
“Yes. I’ve identified some of the men who stole the golden coffin and probably many more things that Harley’s bank insured.”
“And the coffin?”
“I haven’t found the coffin.”
“Tell me about the men.”
“What will I get in return for that information?”
“Assistance.”
“That’s a little vague.”
Ahmed smiled. “What would you like in return?”
“I want Harley. And I want assurance that you won’t walk away with the coffin and leave me empty-handed.”
Ahmed caught a waiter’s eye. “Turkish coffee,” he said.
“For me as well,” Gabriela told the waiter.
“You want a lot in return for a few names,” Ahmed said.
“Perhaps,” Gabriela said, “but I’m doing all the work while you sit around drinking coffee.”
“This is true,” Ahmed said. “My life is good. It will be good for you too, if you find the golden coffin.”
“I’m going to need more than three days, and I’m going to need help.”
The coffee was delivered and Gabriela paused until the waiter left the area.
“Horus Foozeph, known as Fooze, and Leon Blake are possibly part of the permanent team,” Gabriela said.
“I have them placed as soldiers. Fooze is related to the Mausud Freight Forwarding family and is currently en route from Luxor to Cairo with a moving van. Leon Blake may be here somewhere, but I haven’t been able to locate him.
Truth is I’m not sure he’s even alive. I think Rocky Mausud is a principal. ”
She thought Harry Bench was also a principal, but she decided to hold this back from Ahmed.
“I suspected that Mausud Freight was involved in some capacity,” Ahmed said. “Perhaps I should speak to Rocky Mausud.”
Good luck with that, Gabriela thought. She’d called Rocky Mausud’s office earlier, and she’d been told he was out of the country. His father was also out of the country. According to Rocky, the elder Mausud was in the States at this time of the year.
“Right now, I have no idea where the coffin is, but I have two leads,” Gabriela said.
“One is Rocky Mausud. The other is less specific. Something feels off with Harley’s bank.
I want to go back to the States and poke around.
I need you to keep your eye on Rocky. And if you happen to stumble over the coffin, I’d appreciate a phone call. ”
“I can promise you a phone call.”
“And Harley?”
“Harley will be returned to you when I get the coffin.” Ahmed finished his coffee and stood. “This has been a pleasure, as always.”
Rafer was in Gabriela’s room when she walked in.
“Gabs,” he said. “How did it go?”
“It was good.”
“Did you get Harley back?”
“No. And I didn’t try very hard. The truth is that right now, Harley is safer with Ahmed than he would be anywhere else.”
“I don’t like Ahmed, and I don’t trust him. We don’t really know anything about him.”
“I feel the same way, but he has skin in the game, and he’s going to protect his asset.”
“Harley.”
“Yes. He’s going to babysit Harley for us.”
“Where do we go from here?”
“My gut tells me that Rocky Mausud has the golden coffin. He has it stashed somewhere, waiting to get shipped out of Egypt. I was hoping Fooze was in Luxor picking up the coffin, but it wasn’t in the truck.
The truck was filled with standard-sized packing boxes and furniture.
Nothing that would hold the coffin, and there wasn’t room to add anything else. ”
“We’ve already searched Rocky’s office and warehouse. What’s next? Copy a page out of Ahmed’s playbook and kidnap Rocky?”
“No kidnapping. We’re going back to New York.
Marcella has us scheduled for a nine o’clock flight tomorrow morning.
Rocky’s office told me that he isn’t in Egypt.
Even if he was here, I don’t think I’d want to show my hand by taking him down.
I’m pretty sure there’s a connection between Rocky and Harry Bench.
I think they’re part of the team, high up on the bad-guy food chain, but I don’t think they’re at the top.
I want to find out who’s at the top. When I find the guy at the top, I’ll find the stolen objects. ”
“So, the guy at the top is a collector?”
“Possibly, but I have a feeling it’s more complicated than that. There’s something going on at that bank.”